Rugby - Advantage Over!

[Havak]

I honestly hope the Boks are your second round opponents.

And a small step perhaps. France are not too bad despite the Puma results - and have also called up Merceron so their kicking game will improve Saturday.

Just seen what happened to Hewitt at Wimbers. Talk about a shock result!!

[MikeH]

I just realised who you guys were talking about with the "I wonder what domestic team he supports" thing. D'oh.

It's Quins. Only got into rugby at uni and the guy who got me into it lives in Richmond now and he got me going up to see Quins whenever he can just kind of grew out of that.

London Irish play in Reading and I've got Irish ancestry so I like to see them do well as well but bizarrely I've been to see Quins play loads of times but never been down to the Madjedski to see London Irish.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Havak
I honestly hope the Boks are your second round opponents.

Well, I really can't see the Boks winning their pool. You guys are a mile ahead of them right now.

And a small step perhaps. France are not too bad despite the Puma results - and have also called up Merceron so their kicking game will improve Saturday.

We shall see. I expect a comfortable All Black victory though.

Just seen what happened to Hewitt at Wimbers. Talk about a shock result!!

[Havak]

Quins. Excellent!

We've had some classic cup tussles with them over the last few years.

One can understand why you haven't seen much of the Exiles - they may still call themselves London Irish but Reading isn't exactly London to my mind?

[MikeH]

No, not really. But it is local if I want to pop down and see some rugby. Mainly I'm just too busy with band stuff at the weekends.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Six I think - including two of the first choice back row forwards. The ABs should exploit that nicely.

Oh well, I suppose they're trying to blood new players. Though, as you note elsewhere, the way the coach is reacting, it's the new players' blood ... I won't go on, it's terribly contrived.

I could have sworn Smithy didn’t feature against Wales.

Yes, sorry, I'd had a long day. He was B.O.G. against the Paddys.

I admire the stand. I’m just surprised by it that’s all. An Aussie coach making a decision to the detriment of the sporting perspective. Eddie has hidden depth.

Frankly, the slagging he's getting for it here is giving me the sh*ts. Those who are slagging him the most are those who baked him the longest for his supposed leniency when he was with the Brumbies where Player Power ruled.

Did he? Well if that’s true it is indeed unforgiveable.

I note later on that you quote him talking about the Wallabies. That must have been in one of the interviews for the English media. With the Australian media, he declined to do so. The tenors of the interviews are completely different which is the basis of my point about pettiness and churlishness. It costs absolutely nothing to be a gracious winner and only adds to one's standing. I reiterate that I don't buy for a second that he was led by the Australian media. He's a pro. He knew exactly what he was doing.

Eddie’s praise might look good in print. On TV it was the same old Eddie – that sarcastic smile fixed on his face and eyes that scream “none of this is sincere” at you.

You've been reading too many Readers' Digest articles on body language.

And I guess England have done what they always seem to do – provide the Aussies with another hate figure ready for October.

It's a pity, because the team's performance earned them enormous respect. Remember it's the first time the vast majority of us have seen England on the go. So, essentially, the team is now enormously respected and the coach isn't. He, of course, would probably argue that doesn't matter a fig. In the grand scheme of things, he's wrong.

You are slightly wrong by the way – the current Bok incumbent does not always praise opponents either –

That's true. But he still has one foot in the Bronze Age.

and Laporte is too busy threatening his boys with the guillotine to find time to praise opponents.

I've been under the impression that Laporte had appointed Tamerlin his spokesperson on opposing teams - S.H. teams in particular.

But only showing features of ABs play. It therefore only implied that the Wallabies were also as guilty as sin.

That immensely insipid side step would earn you a Loosey rib-smasher.

One loss to you boys and he’ll mix and match everything again. What both your sides probably need now is stability.

He's quoted this morning saying the French game will be another try out with the aim of finalising the team for the first Tri-Nations match against the Boks. It seems to me he's mainly not sure about his #8, about a centre partner for Umaga, and whether Howlett is a winger or a full back.

To be fair I tried to think of something the coal face did well – and couldn’t. I’m afraid Noriega in particular looks a spent force to me. Are there no alternatives? Dunning?

As I said, the alternatives are all on a par with the incumbents. Yes, Noriega isn't the force he once was. I remember noting a long time ago that we simply don't breed the size and strength the NH does. I don't know why. Jeremy Paul is also capable of much better than what he's producing at the moment. He's never been quite the same since his terrible injury last season.

Clive, if guilty as accused, has been very naughty and let us down. I just want to be absolutely sure that selective editing by your media isn’t at work here.

And the absolute quickest of scans of the BBC website turns this up from his post match comments on the Aussies:

“They know how to peak at the right time, they're the team to beat come the World Cup”

Hardly the rudest thing I have heard if not specifically in reference to the game itself?

See what I said earlier. Different interviews, different attitudes.

Has this storm come from his interview with 7? I would suggest that lacks too much credibility unless you saw it live. I don’t trust them at all with a VT edit (yes from Lions days).

It was print media.

Greenwood by the way gets married in a fortnight and when the BBC interviewed them from Perth this morning (our time – they are checking out the city, ground and hotel for later in the year) he explained that he and most of the boys were on a two week stag! They may turn up for training looking like beer barrels.

Checking out Perth? That should take them all of a nano-second, leaving plenty of boozing time.

[ravagon]

Actually this is the one time in the year when Perth is truly enjoyable for those from slightly cooler climes.
Not that such a thing should be expected to detract from an Englishmans "boozing time" in any way whatsoever mind you.

[finbar]

Originally posted by ravagon
Actually this is the one time in the year when Perth is truly enjoyable for those from slightly cooler climes.

Only if it's also 1958 where they've come from.

Not that such a thing should be expected to detract from an Englishmans "boozing time" in any way whatsoever mind you.

Most of them could drink under six feet of solid concrete.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
they may still call themselves London Irish but Reading isn't exactly London to my mind?

Presumably they're trading on urban sprawl.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
I wish you hadn't made reference to this pattern that is emerging with Tamerlin's posts. I've been keeping tally of his grizzles and was going to wait till France won a game and he didn't grizzle before posting the obvious. OTOH, maybe you were right to mention it. We could all be long dead and buried before Les Grenouilles win another game.

You are right on both count.

Bernard Laporte has asked a rendez-vous with Mister Cole who has admitted he "forgot" to signal something like fifteen fouls against the Argentinians (I suppose he says fifteen because it was actually thirty). Before the era of the video assistance, Christian Labit would have scored a try that has been refused, though there was no reason to refuse it, by the video checking referee. The video was actually a source of confusion...

Beyond the fact that a referee can hamper a team, I am angry against the referees because they are not good, because in the SH they are not applying the rules (thanks to the pressure of the money grabbers) and are threatening to change our beloved game into a Rugby Union/League stodgy pudding.

This year in France, I have seen too many games (whether they were lost or won by the Stade Toulousain or the Frogs is not important) that were spoiled because of a bad referee. I go to the stadium for the pleasure of watching a good game of Rugby and I don't like it when a little man with a whistle stuck in the throat is adding confusion to the game.

Once again, I think the fight between the NH and the SH is not fair as the rules are not the same. England has adapted its game to the SH, decoy runners for example, and I deeply regret it because the NH is loosing its identity in the process. William Web Ellis must turn himself round in his grave ("se retourner dans sa tombe") as we say in France...

The Northern referees (especially in the United Kingdom) also have the tendancy to change they way of helming a game to match the practices of the SH thus furthering the changes in the game...

All in all I am becoming less and less interested in the international games...

About the last week-end games England deserved to win as Argentina did and I am afraid the Grenouilles will be skinned by the All Blacks as I have the feeling France is now playing in a kind of second division. Fabien Galthié is not playing at his top level (is he afraid of a wound?) as Georges Gregan who IMO has not been very good against England and suffered the comparison with Bracken.

Give MikeH a chance. He's new. I'm sure he has it in him to be as petty, spiteful and childish as the rest of us.

This is only a matter of time...

Everyone struggles against a good rolling maul. No one could have stopped that first half effort.

England's maul was impressive but what stroke me was the inability of the English players to cross the try line when the Australian players were hopelessly dominated...

England now, statistically, has to be favourites for the RWC. The unknowns at this point are the respective degrees of improvement between now and then.

My main concern about England would be: aren't they ready or at their top level too early?

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak
And a small step perhaps. France are not too bad despite the Puma results - and have also called up Merceron so their kicking game will improve Saturday.

Gérald Merceron should not start the game, Frédéric Michalack should, his bad kicks during the Six Nations and the tests are the reason behind the fact he was not called again in the Grenouilles' team.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
I don't like it when a little man with a whistle stuck in the throat is adding confusion to the game.

Agreed.

Once again, I think the fight between the NH and the SH is not fair as the rules are not the same. England has adapted its game to the SH, decoy runners for example, and I deeply regret it because the NH is loosing its identity in the process. William Web Ellis must turn himself round in his grave ("se retourner dans sa tombe") as we say in France...

The Northern referees (especially in the United Kingdom) also have the tendancy to change they way of helming a game to match the practices of the SH thus furthering the changes in the game...

Georges Gregan who IMO has not been very good against England and suffered the comparison with Bracken.

I don't think George has ever been under as much pressure as he was on Saturday night. That's the problem when your pack is being murdered by the opposition. He was hardly given time to breathe after he put the ball into the scrum. Bracken, OTOH, by comparison, was operating in fairly luxurious circumstances.

My main concern about England would be: aren't they ready or at their top level too early?

I suppose the question is whether they can come back from their break in the same form. Obviously they will need to. There's no reason why they shouldn't. It will be essentially the same team. OTOH, some of the older players will be that little bit older, and the weather is going to be much warmer next time they're here. My point was that I would expect vast improvement from the ABs between now and WRC, and I would hope for vast improvement from the Wallabies between now and then.

[Havak]

Weekends are for rugby.

Contrived indeed Finbar – but nicely done with that in mind.

Yes, sorry, I'd had a long day.

Nice to know you are human too.

Those who are slagging him the most are those who baked him the longest for his supposed leniency when he was with the Brumbies where Player Power ruled.

Coaches can’t win on this one. Damned if you do…

I reiterate that I don't buy for a second that he was led by the Australian media. He's a pro. He knew exactly what he was doing.

It is a problem with him – occasional strange behaviour. I will say for my part it caught me off guard – he has been tipping the Wallabies consistently and very positive about the players. I knew he didn’t like Eddie, and a personal attack on Eddie would not have worried me at all (Eddie has board shoulders and brings such things on himself anyway). I agree it was churlish and inappropriate to not praise the Wallabies to your press – they played out their skins after all.

I see that Bill Young has launched a defence of your front row saying he felt that they performed a real step up from the corresponding fixture last November. I can’t agree with that to be honest.

You've been reading too many Readers' Digest articles on body language.

I’ve been around the block – I can spot someone oozing insincerity a mile away.

So, essentially, the team is now enormously respected and the coach isn't.

We’ll have to settle for that. The former will be here long after the latter I hope. I’m not sure why it matters though. In terms of the games to be played it matters not at all surely – and the exact same is true here (Jones is not widely liked as I touched on last week but the team is highly respected for it’s playing quality). What troubles you so much about the grand scheme?

That immensely insipid side step would earn you a Loosey rib-smasher

I still think there’s a huge difference between pretending before a game that a referee should take your word as law and pointing out after a match what the referee missed of the opponents cynical play? Clearly a cultural difference. Although frankly both suggest men with huge egos?

Not that such a thing should be expected to detract from an Englishmans "boozing time" in any way whatsoever mind you.

I’m sure it won’t.

Presumably they're trading on urban sprawl.

It doesn’t really matter where they play as they market the ‘Irish’ not the ‘London’. Every Exile in England seems to follow them.
Having been our last home game last year – the worst game I have seen us play in years – it seems natural they should have been drawn as our first home game next season. I’ll phone the club and ask that the drums are not allowed in this time (they only use them as beer stands and trays most of the game anyway).

and are threatening to change our beloved game into a Rugby Union/League stodgy pudding.

I hate to disagree but I think the refs have been somewhat stricter this year across the globe –at least in carefully defined aspects of play. IRB edicts seem to be smoothing a little of the cultural divide in refereeing?

England has adapted its game to the SH, decoy runners for example, and I deeply regret it because the NH is loosing its identity in the process

To a certain extent that holds true – but it’s a little unfair. We have learnt from the SH in some aspects of play – but we’ve taken as much from France in some ways. And you really ought to note France can and do use blocking runners when it suits them.

The Northern referees (especially in the United Kingdom) also have the tendancy to change they way of helming a game to match the practices of the SH thus furthering the changes in the game...

Now I am intrigued – how many domestic UK games did you see last season? And it might be worth watching Mr Jutge’s performance in the 2002 final again before calling UK officials as being SH influenced Oh and wasn’t it an English official who secured the European cup for a certain side this year.
Bizarrely I thought Gregan had a fairly solid game. Bracken was okay but rather flattered behind a pack really doing the business and Dawson looked well out of sorts when he came on – of the three I’d pick Gregan on the day.

England's maul was impressive but what stroke me was the inability of the English players to cross the try line when the Australian players were hopelessly dominated...

Well…the maul had stopped for the second time, McHugh had clearly signalled it and Gregan (and Lyons I think) had sneaked in on the refs blindside to stop a quick pick and go. Even so had Wilkinson fed it back and let the forwards crash it up again instead of that silly kick I’m sure you would have got your wish.

My main concern about England would be: aren't they ready or at their top level too early?

And the answer is – who knows. They will be a settled side and fairly well rested come the World Cup. They’ll be playing teams who are at the end of their season. There are too many variables. All we know is that they are capable of competing.

Even if the ABs sweep the tri-nations that means no more for the RWC than England’s recent wins really. Personally I suspect, with Larkham, Smith and Finnegan all available, that the Wallabies might shock the ABs yet again (at least in Aus).

Civ Gold time?

[Havak]

Gérald Merceron should not start the game, Frédéric Michalack should, his bad kicks during the Six Nations and the tests are the reason behind the fact he was not called again in the Grenouilles' team.

Yes but he was the driving force behind Glaws almost winning the title last season. So yet another player whose bandwagon Finbar crashed.

Agreed.

Well yes – he did rather undermine his own point with it after all.

Tamerlin you do realise that you made that sound like you prefer SH refs – in total contradiction to the rest of your post?

My point was that I would expect vast improvement from the ABs between now and WRC, and I would hope for vast improvement from the Wallabies between now and then.

Whereas I am expecting several serious injuries to both squads (after you play the Boks) and some very tired SH players come October time.

I don’t expect much from our warm up games – though I will save Tamerlin the time and say three months in advance that the refs in both French games will be awful and utterly biased towards the ‘Rosbiffs’.

[MikeH]

I will be petty and spiteful when we lose.